See the Milky Way, ‘shooting stars’ and a rare stellar eclipse: the July night sky

July is packed with celestial events for stargazers, from the breathtaking view of the Milky Way in the first week, to a beautiful crescent moon lighting up the western horizon, and a rare moon occultation of the star Spica. Don’t miss the rise of the ‘Thunder Moon’ on July 20-21, and the Delta Aquariden meteor shower on July 31.

Here’s everything you need to know about stargazing and astronomy in July.

1. The Milky Way

When: first week of July

Where: southeast

July and August are the best months of the year to see the Milky Way from the Northern Hemisphere. Many know that, but they don’t realize that you have to choose a 10-day window within those two months when the moon is out AND you have to stay away from light pollution to get a good view after the sun sets. That is the first week of July. The Milky Way will be brightest in the southeastern sky.

2. A beautiful crescent moon

When: After sunset on Saturday July 6th through Tuesday July 9th

Where: above the western horizon

Look west four nights in a row to see a beautiful waxing moon, growing slightly fuller each evening as it moves further from the sun in its orbit around Earth. The view on Saturday, July 6, will be difficult as the moon is only 1% illuminated, requiring binoculars, patience and a low view of the horizon. After that it gets much easier, with a chance on Sunday, July 7, to see Mercury just above. From Sunday through Tuesday, you’ll also see “earthshine” or “planetshine” on the dark side of the moon — sunlight bouncing off Earth’s oceans and ice caps onto the moon’s surface.

3. Spica eclipsed by the Moon

When: Saturday July 13 – Sunday July 14

Where: Southwestern evening sky, from North and Central America only

One of the brightest stars in the summer sky – Spica in Virgo – will be eclipsed by the moon in one of the rarest celestial events of 2024 for North and Central America. According to In-The-Sky.org, Spica will be eclipsed by a First Quarter Moon (which appears half-illuminated as seen from Earth) between 9:40 p.m. EDT on Saturday, July 13 and 12:58 a.m. EDT on Sunday, July 14. Here’s the schedule:

• Only gone: Eastern US states (11:30 p.m. EDT, low in southwest).
• Full Occultation: Midwestern US States (10:00 p.m. CDT)
• Showing again only: Northwestern US (9:00 PM MDT).

4. A full ‘thunder moon’ rises

When: Saturday July 20th and Sunday July 21st.

Where: eastern horizon

The seventh full moon of 2024, and the second of the Northern Hemisphere summer, will be 100% illuminated by the sun on Sunday, July 21. However, because the full moon rises at its closest point to the horizon, there are two consecutive nights this month to look outside toward the east—preferably with binoculars for a fantastic close-up.

5. Moon meets the ‘ringed planet’

When: Tuesday July 23rd to Wednesday July 24th

Where: west

For two nights in a row, a striking moon-planet conjunction will be visible in the west just as darkness falls. On Tuesday you’ll see a waning gibbous moon with Saturn to the lower left, while on Wednesday a slightly smaller moon hangs to the lower left of the “ring planet.” As seen from parts of Asia and Africa, the moon will cover (block) Saturn for a few hours on Wednesday.

6. Delta Aquarid meteor shower

When: Wednesday, July 31

Where: all-sky

Expect to see about 10-20 “shooting stars” in a dark, moonless night sky from midnight to 2 a.m. as the Delta Aquariid meteor shower reaches its peak. Occurring annually from July 18 to August 21, the shower is caused by dust and debris thrown up in the inner solar system by the 96P/Machholz Complex, a mess of comets that produces a handful of different meteor showers. Those in the southern U.S. states are likely to have the most luck.

The times and dates given are for mid-northern latitudes. For the most accurate location-specific information, consult online planetariums such as SkySafari Pro, Stellarium And Heavenly life. Account planet-rising/planet-setting, Sunrise SunsetAnd moonrise/moonset turn to see where you are.

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Pick up my books Stargazing in 2024, A stargazing program for beginnersAnd When is the next solar eclipse?

I wish you clear skies and big eyes.